Method of and apparatus for cleaning gut



June 10, 1930.

A G. MATTHEWS 1,763,002

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GUT `Filed Jan. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 f mw@ June 10, 1930. G. L. MATTHEWS Y METHOD OF' AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GUT Filed Jan. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/E ./:7 @gj/741% ezzf June l0, 1930. G. l.. MATTHEWS 1,763,002

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GUT Filed Jan. 2, 1929' 4 SheetsSheet 3 June l0, 1930. c. 1 MATTHEWS l '1,763,002-

` METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEARING lGUT Filed Jan. 2. 1929 4 sneets-sneet 4 lig 5- Patented. June 10, i930 UNITEDSTATES PATENT .oFFiCE jouy L. mArnEwaor CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNon To BARRY 'IZQDjIEIIn or A ILLINOIS Y v y mim-Ion orAvND ArrAaArnsroR CLEANING GUT Application Ied January 2, 19279. `Serial- NOQBZSM-.g A'

rlhis invention; relates to a method of` andvapparatns for cleaning gut and refers to a novel methodv of cleaning and an ap-l paratus for cleaning gut whichl is muchA v 5 more expeditious, satisfactory and econom-` ical-*than hand. cleaning. l 'Heretofore,' gut which has been used for the manufacture of various gut products, for example sausage casings, tennis racket m strings, musical instrument strings and sur-p gieal gut, has been cleanedyvby hand.

It isvan. object of this invention to provide a method ofand an apparatusfor cleaning gut `for elimination of hand cleaning.

15 Another object of the invention is to provvide an apparatuswhich the gut is cleaned more economically, much better and. in much less.time than atpresent byhand;

Ajfurther object of. the invention is to'A y"9,0 provide an apparatusl in whicha more uniu form product is secured and in 'which' less breakage occurs. y. l Q w The above, other and `further objects of the invention will be apparent from the gfz following description, accompanying drawl;

ings and appended claims,l

According to the invention the method;y

consists in 'moving the gut and while so moving subjecting it to evenand. uniform @n wiping', then tensioning it and further fwash ing and wiping thesame. The apparatusv includes a wiping rollerV having a*pluralityy of axially extending radially projecting "blades with the active parts of the blades which come in contact with the gut so fashioned as not to tear or cut the gut,jsets of feeding and driving rollers move the gut thru the wiping roller with the feed'.` ing and driving rollers rotatin in opposite direction from the direction. o rotation of the `wiping roller, An idler roller cooperat'esV with the wiper for holding the gut thereagainst. 4 Thev other rellersk of the machine preferably have fabric surfaces. Anembodiment ot the invention is illus` trated in the accompanying drawings and y rthe views thereof are as oll-owsz y .Figure 1 is 'an elevational View ofthe front of the illustrated machine embodying ae) this invention; g Y

rods 8 connected at oneend at 9` to the chan' sprocket Vchain 18. v .1., Y v Q -The wiper'roll V11 is of metal and -ifs provFigure 2'is a vertical sectional view taken f Y between the frontfland back lsidesfof vthe. machineof Figure l. v if. f y F`gure .3 is anvelevationalview' ofl the back side ofthe Lmachine. f "f1 V'55 .Y Figure-lis a top plan view of lthe machine @Figure I; .2 i Y y Figure 5 isa fraginental end velevation of` some of the blades of vthedwiping roller. This view is enlarged y .p Figure 6` is van end v-view partially insec- 'tion ofthe wiping roller andthe idler co-.

operating therewith at theentrance end of the' machine,y` i i "i As shown onthedrawingszfv n The machine illustrated comprises a'plurality of structuralelernents includinglup-A rijghtsl, longitudinal top and bottom members and l andintermediate'longitudinal members .5 and 6. yf-"Iliei-ie members are secured together in any ldesired manner as by boltsA orf rivets. yThe .frame structure is the same on bothsides'of the machine while end pieces, not shown,` connect `the ends of the vmachine to form a ri frame..

.75 A channellmembernfl arranged trans? versely'of the machine at the-entrance end thereon.y and spaced above the toplframe members. 3 bys'uit'able structuralelements. V'Tie i, Y 80 nel 7 vand at the othersend at 10 to the uppery frame members 3 serve to rigidity the channel 7 `and its supported parts. i

t A ,Wipery oll 11 1sz supported on. a rshaft l24which shaft' in turnis carried vat onev rend in a bearing 13 which is suspended by bolts 14 from thechannel7.V .The otherfe'nd .of theshat 12 supported vby acollar l5 which. is :carried ina frame rmember 16 secured Yto the franiefstructure and also to the channel 7.. rThe collarfl projectsthrough the frame. member 16 and is provided out wardly ofthe member 16? withva. gear or sprocket 17 *with which cooperates a" vided with aiplurality 1of axially extending radially `projecting blades `19. The .blades are made .with thev .active portions thereof.

engage the ygut ascambered Vat 20s() 'm9 y sr A as to exert a wiping action on the gut rather than a tearing or cuting action. The wiping roller 11 is arranged to rotate in clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 5.

' An idler roller 21 is supported on a shaft Y 22 which projects through the roller or is vsecured in longitudinal frame members 5 while the upper ends of said rods are fastened to the arms 24 carrying the roller 21. The springs 26 act against the under side of the arms 24 and normally maintain the idlerroller 21 against the blades 19 of the wiper roller 11. The rods 27 are arranged to pass through the frame members 5 as the arms V24 are oscillated about the Y pivots as gut is passing between the wiper Y CafIlVrlS.

roller and idler roller as will'be more fully hereinafter explained. A shaft 28 is supportedV in journals 29 carried in blocks 30 secured to the upper fram members 3 of the frame which shaft is transverse of the frame and ahead of the wiper roller 11. A roller 31 is supported on this shaft and is provided with a fabric surface 32 which surface is formed of several pliesof coarse material such as burlap or A sprocket 33 secured to the shaft 28 Vat the rear side of the machine and a sprocket chain 34 passes over the sprocket wheel 33. Y

The roller 31 is arranged to be driven in the direction of the arrow, that is in counterclockwise direction as observed in Figures 1 and 2; The roller 31 is arranged in the frame in such manner that the lower portion of the surface thereof is approximately in line with the lower point of the wiping drum 11 and actually is shown as being slightly below the drum 11. Aj roller 35 similar in all respects to roller 31 is carried by a shaft 36 supported in the upper ends of arms 37' which arms are pivoted at 38 4'to the upper frame members 3. The arms 37 extend below the pivot 38. A sprocket wheel 39 is fastened to the shaft 36 at the back side of the machine and a sprocket chain 40 passes over said sprocket wheel 39. Another sprocket wheel 41 is supported on a stub shaft 42 which is in line with or formsV a part ofthe pivotal connection 38 between the arms 37 and the top frame member 3. The sprocket chain 40 passes over the sprocket wheel 39 and 41V for driving the roller 35 in clockwise direction as observed in Figures 1 and 2 and as indicated by the arrows inthe figures.

`Another roller 43 carried by shaft 44 which is journaled at 45 on the upper frame member 3 is arranged-transversely' of the frame parallel to the rollers 31 and 35 and with its shaft below the shaft 28 of the rollers 31. A sprocketwheel 46 is secured to the shaft4 44 at" the'back"si'de"of` the ma- Y chine for driving 'drum 58. lA sprocket chain 63 passes over the sprocket wheelv 62. lA

stub shaft 64 secured to the rear frame mem ber 3 at the upper end of the frame and the same forms a part of or is in alignment with the pivotal point 61 connecting the arms 60 to the frame. This stub shaft 64 carries three sprocket wheels, one Vof which is vshown at 65. The innermost of said sprocket wheels is engaged by the sprocket chain 63 for driving drum 58, the intermediate sprocket wheel is engaged bythe sprocket chain 66 which drives the three sprockets `onthe stub shaft 64 while the outermost or sprocket wheel 65 drives a sprocket chain 67 which engagesv a sprocket wheel 68 on shaft 69 supported in the frame structure and which shaft carries a me-V tallic ldrum having a serrated surface for the purpose of delivering the gut as the same is sues from the machine to a proper receptacle. A motor 71 is secured near the bottom of the frame and has its shaft 72 connected with two speed reducers 73 and 74. The speed reducer 74 drives through means of a train of gears inwardly of the same and not shown a sprocket 75 which is in mesh with the sprocket chain 18 driving the wiping roller 11. v

The other gear reduction '.7 3 lactuates a sprocket 76 which engages a sprocket chain 77 passing over a large sprocket 78 support-ed on a shaft 79 by the frame. There are transverse shafts 8O and 81 arranged near the sprocket wheel 78 on shaft 79 which shaft is at the front side of the machine, that is the part shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, are intergeared byr suitable gears 82 and 83. in mesh as clearly lshown in Figures 1 and 2.

VThe ends of these shafts'at the backside of the machine carry respectively sprocket wheels 84 and 85, first of which drives sprocket chain 66 and the-second `of which is connected with a similar sprocket lwheel on be incased by removable rected against the roller 3l aids in cleaning the gut as the same is drawn between the rollers 31 and 35.

The movement of the machine passes the gut up'over the rollers 35 whereupon the operator grasps the ends of the heads and leads the same downwardly under roller 43 depressing treadle 96 to remove roller 58 so that the heads of the gut may be led between the rollers 43 and 58. Water spray from nozzlel23 serves as a further washing operation in the operation of the machine. The heads of the gut after the same have been passed over the roller 58V are then brought against the serrated roller whereupon said roller directs the gut strings into the receptable B which when filled may be removed for further ldisposition of the gut.

The rollers 3l, 35, 43 and 58 have fabric surfaces of burlap, canvas, and the like, for the purpose of absorbing water for aiding in cleaning the gut, as well as for wiping the same. rlhe fabric surface on the roller 58 may if desired be increased in thickness.

which increase adds to the cleaning effect of the machine. The variation in thickness of the fabric peripheral surface of the roller 58 varies the peripheral speed of this roller with respect to its mate 43 to effect a wiping action on the gut` passing between these rollers, and at the same time applying tension to the gut. The other rollers may have the peripheries varied in the same manner for increasing the wiping effect of the rollers on the gut passing through the various pairs of rollers.

Repeated demonstrations and operations of a machine made in accordance to this invention have resulted in the production of clean gut which is more thoroughly cleaned than by the hand method and in which the percentage of breakages is much less than in the hand method. Furthermore, Autilization of the machine of this invention is many times faster than the hand cleaning process.

The machine is small and compact in form and sturdy in construction, and can be operated continually throughout the day, thus cleaning many times the quantityV of gut than is possibleto be cleaned by a single operator employing the hand process. But one attendant is necessary to operate this machine.

The machine has been illustrated and described as having two sets of rolls 31, 36 and 43 and 58. However, it is within the contemplation of this invention to arrange as many more or less rollers as circumstances may demand without departing from this invention.

Suitable trays may be disposed underneath the'rollers for withdrawing the stray water to the receptacle B or A as the case may be. Furthermore, the machine may partitions as slide breakage occurs.

members so as to make a pleasing and serv-3 iceable device.

The wiping roller l1 and its idler roller.

`in the heads beingpassed through themachine.

The gist of the invention resides in the movement of the gut and treating the gut by wiping motion rather than by a cuttingor tearing motion and the cleaning and wiping of the gut subsequently to the rst wiping effect by fabric surfaces.

The machine of this .invention is especially useful in cleaning slit gut, as it takes oflI all of the threads present on the slit gut.

The provision of the idle roller 2l results in a product which is flufer than the products scraped by hand and which is not as dry. Furthermore, the mucous lining on the inside of the gut is taken off cleanly without any remaining on the gut as the same is delivered from the machine.

The position of the driving wiping rollers 32, 35 and 43 and 58 being disposed as shown in the drawings, enables drawing the gut through the machine, that is, between the wiping roller ll and the idler roller 2l with even tension so that practically no This is due to thefact that the surface of the roller 32 and 35 is used for the purpose of drawing the gut beneath the wiping roller 11 and idler 2l. The angular position of these rollers, as well as the large amount of surface contact present in the drawing operation, eliminates the eXtreme pressure between the rollers 3l and 35 so that there is no squeezing and consequent breakage of the gut. It will be observed that practically 180o ofthe surface of these rollers is available for pulling the gut through the machine. The same condition holds true with respect to rollers 43 and 58. Wrapping the gut about these rollers as before stated, aids in pulling the same through the machine without breakage, and

at the same time, the slit gut strings are spread and separated so as to secure feeding on both sides of the strings. Were the driving rollers to be arranged so as to tightly grip the gut, the gut would be crushed and rendered ineffective for commercial use. Y

It has been found that feeding gut to the machine of this invention, it isV possible to use cold water for the washing of the same,

rather than hot water, which is necessary in the hand feeding process. This is due to the fact that the wiping roller ll cleans the gut more effectively and that the driving rollers 31, 35 and 43 and 58 dampen the gut so that it is not'dry as it is when scraped by 'rit , isfactory than When i dammi@ handy Furthermore-the gut vdoeslllot ,have ta remainfaslong; linthefstat'elof putrefacf which are cleaned olf of the strips of gut are Washed from the driving rollers by thewater stream directed against thesefrollers, thus providing at all times driving rollers f With comparatively clean surfaces and on which vthere is no matting of the` small threads necessarily 'present in the cleaning of gut. n l

This machine is capable of operation by one man, rather than by several men, and

it is possible for yone man to clean lmore* thoroughly than by handy a Lmuch greater 'i quantity of gut,'which gut is cleaned in a more thorough andsatisfactory manner.

The provision of burlap or Web surfaces on the driving and cleaning rollersresults in a better pulling of .the gut through the ma'- chine, and also abetter Washing of the gut. .f

As before stated, the threads ,are Washed off of these rollers and the rollers arekept constantly Wet, so that there is nov crushing of the\gut asthe fabric or burlap 'surfaces of the rollers give toa slight extent should for chance a knot 'ormatted condition of the gut occur as the head is being drawn through the machine.

This machine 1s especlally adapted forY use with split gut Which khas been found moreV than satisfactory for Wiping'the same for commercial purposes.V Y

It Will be observed that the cambered end 2O of the blades 19 on the Wiper roll 11 provides three edges forV feeding the gut, Theas may be/observed from Figure 5. action of the blades is such as to Wipe'off thevforeign matter. Without tearing or cutting the gut. The blades 19 are shown as mounted on the roller llto exten-d radially from the face. It is of course possible to incline these blades slightly to .thetruly radialv position shown in the drawings and accomplish the same results.

this machine results in a better and cleaner gut, Which is cleaned in a much shorter time, gut Which'is not broken or stretched,

andwhich is not spoiled because of the long period of putrefaction'necessaryfor hand cleaning. Furthermore, all of the threads are removed from the slit gut andthe finished product is 'silkier and fluflier than that produced in any other manner. Y Y

' the `gut` after has4 passed 'the said scraping The invention been 'described horeill more or less preciselyfet. itis to 'be understood thatchangs;may-be made inthe arrangementv and proportionfof parts and that equival1 'e nts` may be isubstituted, Yall Without invention.

The invention is Vclaimed' as' follows:

n The methodof;` Cleaningsplitgut and I the.. like which lconsists initying the' strings departlrng from; the spirit scopeof this 7 of'tzlie split gut, atonefendinto a'head,"eX

crtingyafpulilfonsaid head toinitiatejmovef rnent 4ofthe 's tringsfof'the'gut, past ascraptoa scraping actionat said position'and stretching'andsqueezing, the Strings of sai-d Ygilt after itis pulled 4pas/t Vsaid'"scrapingv l positffi'ogla:.

ing*postiomjsubiecting the 'strings ofthe gilt g so f men-t ofthe stringsof the'gut past, afscrap- Y ing. position, Vsubjecting the; strings of". the gut to a scraping actionY atl Asai'd position and stretching, squeezing the; strings of, said'` after it iswpulled past said' scraping position,

and 'Washingthe 4scraped'gut strings to re-' p movefmucusfand ,other undesirable matter y.

therefrom.

The, manca the like which conSstSl' inputting Fthev gut Vunder` tension fio/advance itpast a'scraping position, y yieldablyl subjecting theV gut to aV scraping action at saidposition' in lsuch a ,A Way asto control'the tension on said gut so i that detrimental strains are not, imposed"i th gut after' it is ,pulled by SaidSending position.Y -f Y v c *j and-fthe like, rnearisr for-advancing the gut pasta scraping pmsition, a scraperat said position and. a yie Seurat' detrimental strains arefn'et imposed? on the gut, sad-i1"st menOIlQC-l' means in' cludn'g."rolls""for squeezingr and stretching` i of cleaning split gut and f `on Athe gut, 'andsqlueezing and stretching 4; In* a Y.cleaning machine for splitk gut dably mountedlidler roller Y rio the gutafter haspa'sse'd said scrapingjpov f siti-on.'

Y A5. In Vcleaning.'machne jfor `Spliltgut Y and the"like,IIleagrisfV for advancing the v`*gut position, a vyieldably mounted idler roller so that Vdetrimentaflv strainsy are not imposed 'i on Lthe gut, said iirst mentioned means including rolls for squeezing and stretching 'p'osition,'fa11d 'means' for Washing Vaway y the The advantages obtained from the use of "Past a'iscmpmg posmon? Scraper .at Sald i from the other to Venable the head or tied 'end ofthe split gut to be inserted therein, whereby the rolls may become efective to p ull the split gut past saidvscraper.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my namel at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Y

GUY L. MATTHEWS.

stantially at least one half the periphery of each roll maycontafct the gut passed therethrough forpulling the gut past said scraping position, and whereby slippage of the gut on said rolls is substantially prevented. A

7 In a cleaning machine for split gut and y the like, means `for advancing the gut past a scraping position, a scraper at said position, a yieldably mounted idler roller at said position for yieldably bringing the gut into contact with said scraper and for controlling the tension on said gut so that detrimental strains are not imposed on the gut, said first mentioned means including rolls forrsqueez'- ing and stretching the gut after it has passed said scraping position, and means for actuating said rolls to exert a pull on said, gut

in an opposite direction to that of the movement of said scraper, said idler roller being actuated by its rictional cooperation with said scraper at a speed suiicient to enable a substantial stretching of the gut commensurate with the tensile strength of the gut. l f 8; In a cleaning machine for split gut and the like, means for advancing the gut past a scraping position, a scraper `at said position and a yieldably mounted idler roller at said position for yieldably bringing the gut into scraping Contact with saidscraper and for controlling the-tension'on said gut'so that Adetrimental strains are not imposed on the gut, said first mentioned means including rolls for squeezing and stretching the gut aer it has passed said scraping position, one oli-said rolls having a greater peripheral speed than the other one in cooperation therewith to enable al rubbing action on said gut as it passes between said rolls.

9. In a cleaning machine for split gut and j the like, means for advancing the gut past a scraping position, a scraper at saidY position and a yieldably mounted idler roller at said position for yieldably bringing the gut into scraping contact Ywith said scraper and for controlling the tension on said gut so that detrimental strains are not imposed on .the gut, said first mentioned means including rolls for squeezing and stretching the gut after it has passed said scraping position, and means for moving one of said rollsV away iio 

